A Deepness in the Sky

Lighthill stepped close to the displays. There was still a picture from Parliament Hall, but no one was behind the camera: the view wandered aimlessly, finally centering on the ceiling. Across the other displays, Most Bright lights had blossomed, queries to the Command Center, launch announcements from the King's Rocket Offense forces. The world coming to an end.

Finally, Lighthill spoke. "I know, sir. We are here to prevent you from doing that." Her combateers had spread around the now crowded Command and Control Center. Not a single tech or officer was out of their reach now. The big corporal was pulling open a cargo pannier, setting up additional equipment...game displays?

Dugway finally found his voice. "We suspected a deep-cover agent. I was sure it was Rachner Thract. What fools we were. All along it was Victory Smith working for Pedure and the Kindred."

A traitor at the heart. It explained everything, but—Belga looked at the displays, the network-massaged reports of Accord launches coming in from all directions. She said, "What of it is really true, Lieutenant? Is it all a lie, even the attack on Southmost?"

For a moment Underville thought the lieutenant wouldn't answer. The target circles at Southmost had shrunk to points. The news camera view of Parliament Hall dome lasted a second longer. Then Belga had a fleeting impression of the rock bulging downward, of light beyond—and the display went blank. Victory Lighthill flinched, and when she finally answered Belga, her voice was soft and hard. "No. That attack was very real."

FIFTY-SIX

"You're sure she'll be able to see me?"

Marli looked up from his gadgets. "Yes, sir. And I've got a clear-to-talk from her huds."

You're on, Podmaster. The greatest performance of your life."Qiwi! Are you there?"

"Yes, I—" and he heard Qiwi's quick intake of breath. Heard. There was no video coming back this way; the desperation of this situation was no fake. "Father!"

Nau cradled Ali Lin's head and shoulders in his arms. The ziphead's wounds were gouges, oozing a swamp of blood through makeshift bandages.Pest, I hope the guy isn't dead. But above all, this had to look real; Marli had done his best.

"Tas Vinh, Qiwi. He and Trinli jumped us, killed Kal Omo. They would have killed Ali if...if I hadn't let them get away." The words tumbled out, fueled by true rage and fear and guided by the tactical necessities. The savage attack of traitors, timed for when everything was most critical, when an entire civilization stood at risk. The destruction of North Paw. "I saw two of the kittens drown, Qiwi. I'm sorry, we couldn't get close enough to save them—" Words failed him, but artfully.

He heard small choking sounds from the other end of the connection, the sounds Qiwi made in moments of absolute horror. Damn, that could start a memory cascade. He pushed down his fear and said, "Qiwi, we still have a chance. Have the traitors shown themselves at Benny's?"Has PhamNuwen gotten through to the parlor?

"No. But we know something has gone terribly wrong. We lost the video from North Paw, and now it looks like war down on Arachna. This is a private link, but everyone saw me leave Benny's."

"Okay. Okay. This is good, Qiwi. Whoever are in this with Vinh and Trinli are still confused. We have a chance, the two of us—"

"But surely we can trust—" Qiwi's protest trailed off, and she didn't give him any argument. Good. This soon after a scrubbing, Qiwi was most unsure of herself. "Okay. ButI can help. Where are you hiding? One of the sluiceways?"

"Yes, trapped behind the outer hatch. But if we can get out, we can rescue the situation. L1-A has—"

"Which sluiceway?"

"Uh." He looked at the face of the hatch. A number was just visible in Marli's light. "S-seven-four-five. Does that—"

"I know where it is. I'll see you in two hundred seconds. Don't worry, Tomas."

Lord.Qiwi's recovery was awesome. Nau waited a moment, then glanced questioningly at Marli.

"The connection is down, sir."

"Okay. Realign. See if you can punch through to Ritser Brughel." This might be his last chance to check on the ground operation before everything was settled, one way or another.

TheInvisible Hand was over the horizon from Southmost when the missiles arrived there. Nevertheless, Jau's displays showed flashes against the upper atmosphere. And their trailing satellites relayed a detailed analysis of the destruction. All three nukes were on target.

But Ritser Brughel was not entirely happy. "The timing wasn't right. They didn't get the best penetration."

Bil Phuong's voice came over the bridge-wide channel. "Yes, sir. That depended on high-level ordnance knowledge—things that are up on L1."

"Okay. Okay. We'll make do. Xin!"

"Yes, sir?" Jau looked up from his console.

"Are your people ready to hit the missile fields?"

"Yes, sir. The burn we just completed will put us over most of them. We'll take out a good part of the Accord's forces."